How to fix SE's spell list problem and RDM at the same time.

[Ophannus]

I respectfully disagree, I'm very fond of my self-target Bar spells, and WHM already makes good use of the AoE versions

This is why we can't have nice things.

Don't you realize that if they replaced our self-target barspells with AoE ones it would open up like 16 slots for cool spells like Sabre/Brave/Faith/Plague/Blink II/Haste II/whathaveyou but it's totally fine if you'd rather have a crappier version of a spell that only WHM gets which only benefits you and nobody else and is basically worthless in a group situation.

[Sunrider]

This is why we can't have nice things.

Don't you realize that if they replaced our self-target barspells with AoE ones it would open up like 16 slots for cool spells like Sabre/Brave/Faith/Plague/Blink II/Haste II/whathaveyou but it's totally fine if you'd rather have a crappier version of a spell that only WHM gets which only benefits you and nobody else and is basically worthless in a group situation.

Your statement assumes RDM is only useful to a party if they're buffing someone else. I tend to think that there are other means of group contribution, such as not dying, or not being a burden on the healer's MP, or being well-equipped to address any surprises.

RDM's self-oriented capabilities address all of the above, without specifically copying the powers and/or roles of other classes (taking your example, WHM's area Bar spells).

Whatever S-E's issues with spell limitations, simply removing spells from the game can't be the only fix and, in itself, is a short-sighted one.